The Boston Red Sox released first baseman Eric Hosmer on Thursday, according to a source. Boston had designated Hosmer for assignment last week, but he obviously didn't attract any attention and will now be free to sign with any team this offseason. The 33-year-old was traded by the San Diego Padres to Boston at the Aug. 2 trade deadline and finished 2022 with a .268/.334/.382 slash line, a .716 OPS, eight home runs, 44 RBI and 38 runs scored in 419 plate appearances and 104 games between both teams. All eight of his long balls came in San Diego, and he hit just .244 in 14 games with the BoSox to end the season while also going on the injured list with a back injury late in the season. Wherever Hosmer surfaces, he won't have much fantasy appeal in normal fantasy leagues as a first baseman with limited power.

The Cincinnati Reds designated infielder Mike Moustakas for assignment on Thursday to make room on the roster for recently signed catcher Curt Casali. Moustakas, a three-time All-Star, played in 78 games for the Reds last season and hit just .214/.295/.345 with a .640 OPS, seven home runs, 25 RBI, 30 runs scored and two stolen bases in 285 plate appearances. He also missed the final two months of the campaign due to a calf injury. Cincinnati is cutting bait on the 34-year-old left-handed slugger despite still owing him $22 million. It speaks volumes to what kind of player Moose has become toward the end of his MLB career. Since he was an All-Star in his last year in Milwaukee in 2019, Moustakas has slashed .216/.300/.383 with a .683 OPS, 21 home runs, 74 RBI, 64 runs and three steals in three seasons with the Reds.

The Chicago Cubs and free-agent left-hander Drew Smyly agreed to a two-year, $19 million deal on Thursday that includes a $10 million mutual option ($2.5 million buyout) for the 2025 season, according to a source familiar with the deal. Smyly will receive $8 million next year and $8.5 million in 2024. The 33-year-old southpaw will return to Chicago after going 7-8 with a 3.47 ERA (4.23 FIP), a 1.19 WHIP and 20.4 percent strikeout rate for the Cubbies in 106 1/3 innings over 22 starts in 2022. He became a free agent when he declined a mutual $10 million option for 2023. Smyly missed some time due to an oblique strain and has had plenty of injury issues in his nine-year big-league career, never throwing more than 175 1/3 frames in a single season.

The Chicago White Sox are saying that while they might be listening on trade offers, their current plan is to retain All-Star closer Liam Hendriks in hopes that they can bounce back and win the American League Central in 2023. The New York Mets reportedly have been feeling out the White Sox for a potential acquisition of Hendriks to use as a high-leverage setup man in front of All-Star closer Edwin Diaz. But it's looking more likely that Hendriks will remain in Chicago for the start of next season after making the All-Star team for the second straight season in 2022. He had a 2.81 ERA (2.68 FIP), a 1.04 WHIP, 37 saves and a 36.2 percent strikeout rate in 57 2/3 relief innings. Hendriks has 75 saves in his first two years with the Pale Hose and will remain an elite fantasy closer if he stays with the Sox.

The Cincinnati Reds and free-agent outfielder Wil Myers agreed to a one-year, $7.5 million deal on Thursday, according to a source. The deal will move to $9.5 million based on playing time or if he's traded in 2023, and it also includes a mutual option for the 2024 season. Myers became a free agent when the San Diego Padres declined his $20 million option for next season. With Fernando Tatis Jr. moving to the outfield next year and Jake Cronenworth set for regular duties at first base, there wasn't going to be regular playing time for the 32-year-old in SD anymore. He played in just 77 games in 2022 due to knee issues and hit .261/.315/.398 with only seven home runs, 41 RBI, 29 runs scored and two steals. Cincy won't be a terrible landing spot for him, and he figures to play every day in the Reds outfield.

The New York Mets are among the teams showing interest in Chicago White Sox All-Star closer Liam Hendriks, according to a source. If the Mets were able to land Hendriks, they'd have the best back end of a bullpen in baseball with Hendriks and Edwin Diaz. Hendriks has posted a 2.66 ERA, 75 saves, a 0.87 WHIP and a 13.8 K/9 in his two seasons for the White Sox and is one of the best all-around relievers in the game. If he were traded to New York, Hendriks would likely be the one losing a ton of fantasy value, with Diaz staying in the closer's role. And back in Chicago, a departure of Hendriks would open up save opportunities for Kendall Graveman and Aaron Bummer.

The Kansas City Royals and free-agent right-hander Jordan Lyles agreed to a two-year, $17 million deal on Tuesday. Lyles makes a lot of sense for a rebuilding team looking to eat up rotation innings. The 32-year-old had a 4.42 ERA (4.40 FIP), a 1.38 WHIP and an 18.6 percent strikeout rate while going 12-11 in 179 innings over 32 starts for the Baltimore Orioles. He was a little bit better than his career marks of a 5.10 ERA (4.68 FIP), a 1.43 WHIP and a 17.6 percent strikeout rate in 12 major-league seasons with seven different organizations. Lyles will move to a better division for pitchers in the American League Central, but he'll also be nothing more than a deep-league innings eater in fantasy.

The Kansas City Royals and free-agent starting pitcher Jordan Lyles are reportedly close to a two-year deal, MLB.com's Mark Feinsand reported Monday. The 32-year-old journeyman provided valuable innings for the Orioles in 2022, going 12-11 with a 4.42 ERA, 1.39 WHIP and an 18.6% strikeout rate in 32 starts and 179 innings pitched. While these numbers are useful outside of fantasy consideration, they don't offer much in terms of fantasy upside, beyond occasional streaming opportunities in points leagues. Furthermore, the Royals offense would not provide much support if Lyles does sign there, further limiting his fantasy upside.

The Houston Astros re-signed outfielder Michael Brantley to a one-year deal worth $12 million on Sunday. The contract includes $4 million in performance bonuses. Brantley only played in 64 games in 2022, missing the final three-plus months of the season due to a right shoulder injury that required labrum surgery in August. The 35-year-old is still working his way back from the surgery and isn't a lock to be ready for spring training or Opening Day, so fantasy managers need to bake that risk into his 2023 value. When healthy, Brantley is one of the best contact hitters in the game, but he doesn't pack a lot of power (only two 20-plus-homer seasons). The five-time All-Star hit .300 in four straight seasons before 2022. He had a .288/.370/.416 with five homers, 26 RBI and 28 runs scored in his 64 games played for Houston before his injury.

The Chicago Cubs are closing in on an agreement with free-agent left-hander Drew Smyly on Sunday, according to sources familiar with the deal. The 33-year-old southpaw made 22 starts for the Cubs last year and pitched well in the second half of the season after dealing with an oblique strain in late May. He finished the year going 7-8 with a 3.47 ERA, which included a 0.90 ERA over five amazing starts in August. Smyly declined his mutual option for the 2023 season but will rejoin a starting rotation that includes Marcus Stroman, Jameson Taillon and Justin Steele. Keegan Thompson and Adrian Sampson are also available to start, along with Kyle Hendricks, who is recovering from a shoulder injury. Smyly is a nine-year veteran and has played for seven teams in his career, including five since 2019. He's been with Chicago since 2018, but he didn't pitch in the big leagues for the Cubs until 2022 after having Tommy John surgery.

The Los Angeles Dodgers signed free agent designated hitter J.D. Martinez to a one-year, $10 million contract on Saturday. He reunites with hitting coach Robert Von Scoyoc and former Boston Red Sox teammate Mookie Betts. After smashing at least 28 homers in four of the last five seasons, the 35-year-old is coming off a down year, slashing .274/.341/.448 with 16 home runs, 62 RBI, and 76 runs over 139 games for Boston in 2022. Martinez will slot in as the Dodgers' primary designated hitter and should hit in the heart of the order with a loaded lineup that includes Freddie Freeman, Betts, and Will Smith. Martinez is in an excellent bounce-back spot and could be one of the better values in upcoming fantasy drafts.

The New York Mets signed outfielder Abraham Almonte, right-handers Tommy Hunter and Jimmy Yacabonis and infielder Jose Peraza to minor-league deals on Friday that include invitations to major-league spring training. Right-hander Sean Reid-Foley was also signed to a minor-league deal. Almonte opened the 2022 season with the Milwaukee Brewers and was eventually traded to the Boston Red Sox. The 33-year-old Dominican only played in 15 major-league games for the Red Sox, going 9-for-35 with a homer, two RBI, seven runs scored and a stolen base. Almonte will be organizational outfield depth for the Mets. He has a career .235/.302/.374 slash line with a .676 OPS, 24 home runs and 118 RBI in 455 games over 10 big-league seasons.

Along with the Baltimore Orioles, the Los Angeles Angels and Texas Rangers are interested in free-agent left-hander Rich Hill this offseason, according to sources. Hill will be 43 years old for the 2023 season, but he can still be a respectable innings-eater at the back end of a starting rotation. He went 8-7 with a 4.27 ERA (3.92 FIP), a 1.30 WHIP and a 20.7 percent strikeout rate in 124 1/3 innings over 26 starts for the Boston Red Sox last season. Hill doesn't have much left in the tank, but he can still be useful for rotation depth in deeper fantasy leagues as long as he can stay healthy in 2023.

The Boston Red Sox designated first baseman Eric Hosmer for assignment on Friday. Hosmer was traded from the San Diego Padres to the Red Sox at the Aug. 2 deadline, but there's a good chance he won't be returning to the organization in 2023. The 33-year-old hit a combined .268/.334/.382 with a .716 OPS, eight home runs, 44 RBI and 38 runs scored in a combined 104 games with the Friars and BoSox in 2022. He barely played down the stretch for Boston due to a back injury and will likely be looking for work on the open market soon. At his position, Hosmer is hard to get behind in fantasy because of his lack of pop. Triston Casas should be expected to see most of the playing time at first base in Beantown in 2023.

Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Kevin Kiermaier said the team didn't talk of a platoon at all when they pitched him to sign with them. He signed to be the team's starting center fielder and expects to play every day. In Kiermaier's mind, the center field job is his to lose, with George Springer set to move to right field. It's a bit of a surprise with the 32-year-old coming off left hip surgery that cut his 2022 season short. Kiermaier is an elite defender when healthy, but his offensive production has really tailed off in the last five years while playing for the Tampa Bay Rays. In that time frame, he hit .232/.296/.382 with a .678 OPS. In 63 games for Tampa in 2022, Kiermaier slashed just .228/.281/.369 with seven home runs, 22 RBI, 28 runs scored and six stolen bases.

The Washington Nationals re-signed right-hander Erasmo Ramirez to a one-year deal on Thursday that can reach up to $2 million with incentives. Ramirez will return to D.C. after posting a strong 2.92 ERA (4.05 FIP), a 1.08 WHIP, 61 strikeouts and 14 walks in 86 1/3 innings over 60 appearances (two starts). There's a chance that Ramirez is a candidate to make some starts for Washington next year, but it's more likely that the 32-year-old veteran will continue in a long-relief role for the team next year, limiting his fantasy appeal. In 11 years at the major-league level, Ramirez has posted a 4.21 ERA (4.50 FIP), a 1.22 WHIP, an 18.3 percent strikeout rate and a 6.4 percent walk rate with four saves in 768 frames over 276 outings (94 starts).

The Cleveland Guardians signed free-agent catcher Mike Zunino (shoulder) to a one-year, $6 million deal on Tuesday. Zunino played in only 36 games for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2022 and had thoracic outlet surgery in July. However, the 31-year-old backstop is expected to be ready for the start of the 2023 season, where he should serve as the Guardians' primary catcher. Eventually, though, catching prospect Bo Naylor could begin to earn more playing time, depending on how he performs. Zunino has been able to provide plenty of power at the catcher position in fantasy with 146 long balls in 10 big-league seasons, but he also strikes out a ton and won't do you any favors in the batting-average department with a career slash line of .200/.271/.410. He hit just .148 with five home runs and 16 RBI last year before his injury.

The Toronto Blue Jays agreed to an undisclosed deal with free-agent outfielder Kevin Kiermaier on Saturday, pending a physical, according to an industry source. Kiermaier will stay in the American League East after spending the last 10 years with the Tampa Bay Rays, where he hit .248/.308/.407 with 82 home runs, 316 RBI, 410 runs scored and 112 stolen bases in 914 regular season games. The 32-year-old became a free agent when the Rays declined his $13 million option for 2023. He played in just 63 games in 2022 before having hip surgery in August. Kiermaier has always been a an excellent center fielder (three Gold Gloves), but he has tailed off offensively in the last five seasons. He should be the starter in center field, which will move George Springer to a corner-outfield spot.

The Arizona Diamondbacks are one of around five teams that are looking at free-agent corner infielder Evan Longoria. The 37-year-old became a free agent when the San Francisco Giants declined his $13 million team option for the 2023 season. The D-backs are looking at another similar veteran third baseman on the open market in long-time Dodger Justin Turner. Longoria hit .244/.315/.451 with 14 home runs, 42 RBI and 31 runs scored in 298 plate appearances and just 89 games for the Gigantes in 2022 due to injuries. The three-time All-Star has played fewer than 90 games in each of the last two seasons and will be an injury-prone fantasy corner infielder with some waning power for whichever team he signs with heading into 2023.

The New York Mets agreed with relief pitcher David Robertson on a one-year, $10 million deal on Thursday, according to a source familiar with the contract. The Met got significantly better on Thursday evening, also re-signing center fielder Brandon Nimmo to a monster eight-year, $162 million deal. The 2022 season with the Philadelphia Phillies was his first full year since having Tommy John surgery in 2021. The 37-year-old veteran reliever with 157 career saves had a combined 2.40 ERA (3.58 FIP), a 1.16 WHIP, 20 saves and 81 strikeouts in 63 2/3 innings for the Phillies and Chicago Cubs. Edwin Diaz is cemented in the Mets' closer role, but Robertson will be a strong setup option with plenty of high-leverage experience. He will have plenty of value in holds leagues.